Heretofore aerodynamic bicycle handlebars have comprised so-called “aero” bars located forward of standard “drop” handlebars, with pads being provided to support the rider's forearms and most of the upper body and head weight. The position of the aero bars and pads force the rider to assume a forward-leaning aerodynamic position. However, this narrow aerodynamic position is difficult to maintain at low speeds and when progressing through sharp turns, often requiring the rider to move his hands down to the drop handlebars in order to maintain control of the cycle.
The limitations of conventional aerodynamic bicycle handlebars have resulted in efforts to provide a single set of handlebars which are capable of pivoting between a first “drop” position and a second “aero” position. Such a device is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,967, issued 14 Apr. 1998 to James T. Hartley for “Pivoting Handlebars”. However, the particular pivoting handlebar arrangement disclosed by the Hartley patent suffers from a number of limitations, one of which is that it lacks means for positively locking the handlebars in both its drop and aero limit positions while riding. Another limitation is that the brake and shift levers change position relative to the rider's hands as the unit is articulated.